Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
This is a Final Office action in response to communications received February 04, 2026. Claims 1-11, 14-15 have been amended. Claim 16 has been added. Therefore, claims 1-16 are pending and addressed below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kochi et al. (US2020/0202110 A1, publish date 06/25/2020) (on applicant’s IDS filed 09/15/2022) in view of Al-Shaikh et al. (US2017/0172279 A1, publish date 06/6/2019) further in view of Sheng et al. (US 2017/0124362 A1, publish date 05/04/2017).
Claims 1, 14, 15:
With respect to claims 1, 14, 15, Kochi et al. discloses an authentication system/method/non-transitory computer-readable information storage medium for storing a program (a face authentication system, 0022, Figures 2 and 12), that when executed by at lease one process comprising at least one processor (Figure 2)
at least one memory configured to store program code; at least one processor (Figure 2) configured to operate as instructed by the program code, the program code including:
configured to/to function as/causes the at least one processor to:
storing code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to store biometric information of users in a database (the face authentication system 10 also includes a collation data storage unit 17 that are constructed in the storage unit. 0052) (a collation score such as similarity between the generated feature amount and the feature amount of the person having been registered in the collation data storage unit 17, 0063);
identification code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to identify a second user having similar biometric information to a first user based on comparing stored biometric information (a collation score such as similarity between the generated feature amount and the feature amount of the person having been registered in the collation data storage unit 17 is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the collation score is higher than a threshold. When the collation score is higher than the threshold, it is determined that the collation has succeeded and that the person who is about to pass through the gate G1 is the person having been registered, 0063) (from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person, 0081);
wherein the second user is a person distinct from the first user (when the target extraction unit 11 extracts the person P20 from an end area of a captured image of the own gate G1 (step S11), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not a person same as the person P20 is located in the center area of a captured image of another gate G2 ... Then, from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person, 0080-0081);
execution code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute first authentication for a first user when the first user is present at or arrives at a first place (the capturing area of the imaging device C1 is set such that a person P10, moving on the lane R1 (own lane) corresponding to the gate G1 at which the imaging device C1 is installed, is located in a center area in the horizontal direction between lines C1b of the capturing area., the face authentication system 10 of the present invention is configured to exclude the person P20 who is about to pass through the adjacent gate G2 from the collation process target, and appropriately recognize the person P12 who is about to pass through the own gate G1,, 0053-0054);
determination code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to
determine, based on schedule information about scheduled visits to the first place, whether a second user who has a possibility of being authenticated as the first user by the first authentication is scheduled to be present at the first place, or whether the second user is scheduled to arrive at the first place at a first scheduled date or a first scheduled date/time, which is when the first user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place (The target determination unit 12 (collation means) determines whether or not the persons P10 and P20 extracted by the target extraction unit 11 are persons moving toward the own gate G1, when the person P20 is located in an end area (first area), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not the person P20 is moving toward the own gate G1, on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the face authentication system 20 corresponding to another gate G2. In this example, since the person P20 is shown in an end area on the right side in the captured image corresponding to the own gate G1 illustrated in FIG. 4A, a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the gate G2, adjacent on the right side to the gate G1, is acquired. Specifically, the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056, Figure 12, S13)); and
wherein the execution code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute, when it is determined that the second user is not going to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, first processing for the first user based on the first authentication (from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person (step S14)., 0081)(then it is determined that the same person as the person P20 located in an end area of the captured image of the own gate G1 is located in the center area of the captured image of the adjacent gate G2, the target determination unit 12 determines that the person P20 is a person moving toward the adjacent gate G2, 0082) (Figure 12, S14, S15).
Al-Shaikh et al. teaches the attendance server 104 stores or otherwise has access to an attendance record 116 that can be used to record attendance of persons 108 at various events. Each attendance event may include, as a record of a person 108 attending an event, an event identifier, a location, a time, a date, and a personal identifier, where an event “daily 8 am-5 pm shift at a first worksite” is to occur at the first worksite (e.g., at an employer facility) between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm daily, (0028), determine, based on schedule information about scheduled visits to the first place (defining a first attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a first of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; a second subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a second attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a second worksite and defining a second attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a second of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; and a third subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a third attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a classroom and defining a third attendance timeframe of 8 am-1 pm on Aug. 2, 2017 (e.g., corresponding to a training class John Doe is scheduled to attend) and a 4 hour check-in interval, 0043), whether a second user who has a possibility of being authenticated as the first user by the first authentication is scheduled to be present at the first place, or whether the second user is scheduled to arrive at the first place at a first scheduled date or a first scheduled date/time, which is when the first user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place (a mobile device 102 associated with a person 108 and located in an attendance region 110 associated with an event, may verify biometric or other personal information for the person 108 at a time associated with the event, and transmit corresponding attendance data 112, including a unique identifier of the mobile device 102, to the server 104 by way of the network 106. The server 104 may use the attendance data 112 and a device mapping 114 stored at the server 104 to confirm the attendance of the person 108 at the event, 0025).
Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Al-Shaikh et al. in Kochi et al. as claimed for purposes of providing an attendance verification system may prevent the dissemination of sensitive information. helping to reduce a risk of biometric information and other personal information being compromised (see Al-Shaikh et al. 0005, 0009).
Neither Kochi et al. nor Al-Shaikh et al. discloses store biometric information of users in a database; store, in association with a user identifier of the first user, a user identifier of the second user; adaption code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to adapt authentication requirements for the first user based on scheduled presence of the second user as claimed.
However, Sheng et al. teaches to conduct computerized, proximity-based authorization and access control workflows that are tailored to a user's specific needs and can account for workflows where the presence of multiple users must be considered in order to resolve the authentication and access control successfully (0006) (Figure 1), the system 100 provides secure, and automatic access control to a target device 106 based upon the identity of a plurality of users with wearable devices 102a-102b (0029), store biometric information of users in a database (the user profile including (i) a user role associated with the corresponding wearable device and (ii) one or more permissions each corresponding to an operational function of the target device, 0007) (the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe, 0003);
store, in association with a user identifier of the first user, a user identifier of the second user (the user can establish a user profile at the server computing device 110 that contains various information that is relevant to the operation of the system 100, including but not limited to … role/relationship to others (e.g., parent, child, employee)), 0024) (the user profiles of the parent and/or child can be configured such that the reader 104 does not allow a channel to be changed when: (a) the child's wearable device 102b is within a predetermined distance from the reader 104 and the child's wearable device 102b is in front of the television, and (b) the parent's wearable device 102a is outside of a predetermined distance from the reader 104 (or is not within operable range of the reader 104, thereby not being detected) and/or when the parent's wearable device 102a is not in front of the television (meaning that the parent cannot see what the child is viewing), 0027) (the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees … the system 100 can be augmented with additional information about the users that are associated with the detected wearable devices. For example, the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices, 0033);
adaption code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to adapt authentication requirements (if access needs to be adjusted according to a specific scenario, timeframe, or set of circumstances, 0005) for the first user based on scheduled presence of the second user (wearable device 102a is associated with a parent and wearable device 102a is associated with a child in the same household, a level of access available to the target device 106 based upon the identity of each user, the distance of each wearable device 102a-102b from the reader, and the orientation of each wearable device 102a-102b in relation to the target device 106, the user profile may contain permissions associated with (i) whether the user is allowed to turn on the set-top box/television, (ii) whether the user is allowed to operate other functionality of the set-top box/television (i.e., changing channels, ordering on-demand content, accessing smart television features such as apps, games, and the like), and/or (iii) what channels the user is allowed to access, 0025-0028) (confidential information that only certain employees can view, detect that the wearable devices 102a-102b for a plurality of employees are within a predetermined distance: If only one of the employees associated with the detected wearable devices 102a-102b is allowed to view information contained on the computer, the reader 104 can issue a command to the computer to disable or black out the screen (or close any open documents) while the wearable device 102b of the unauthorized employee is within a certain distance from the reader 104 Or, perhaps the unauthorized employee is allowed to view the screen but is not allowed to print any documents 0031) (an employee having a wearable device 102a may be escorting a contractor 102b (or other visitor), a required spatial relationship of each other, can revoke access, 0032)
(the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees : the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices there may be a circumstance where one of the specific authorized employees is unable to be present when access to the safe is needed. The missing employee can preauthorize the wearable device of another employee to be within the group of employees/devices that, when detected by the system 100, enable access to the target device 106, 0033)
Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Sheng et al. in Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. as claimed for purposes of providing authorization that if access needs to be adjusted according to a specific scenario, timeframe, or set of circumstances (see Sheng et al. 0005)
Claim 2:
With respect to claim 2, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the execution code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:
execute second authentication for the first user when the first user is present at or arrives at the first place, and execute, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, the first processing based on the first authentication and the second authentication (from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person (step S14)., 0081)(then it is determined that the same person as the person P20 located in an end area of the captured image of the own gate G1 is located in the center area of the captured image of the adjacent gate G2, the target determination unit 12 determines that the person P20 is a person moving toward the adjacent gate G2, 0082) (Figure 12, S14, S15) (The target determination unit 12 (collation means) determines whether or not the persons P10 and P20 extracted by the target extraction unit 11 are persons moving toward the own gate G1, when the person P20 is located in an end area (first area), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not the person P20 is moving toward the own gate G1, on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the face authentication system 20 corresponding to another gate G2. In this example, since the person P20 is shown in an end area on the right side in the captured image corresponding to the own gate G1 illustrated in FIG. 4A, a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the gate G2, adjacent on the right side to the gate G1, is acquired. Specifically, the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056, Figure 12, S13).
Sheng et al. teaches to conduct computerized, proximity-based authorization and access control workflows that are tailored to a user's specific needs and can account for workflows where the presence of multiple users must be considered in order to resolve the authentication and access control successfully (0006) (Figure 1), the system 100 provides secure, and automatic access control to a target device 106 based upon the identity of a plurality of users with wearable devices 102a-102b (0029), execute second authentication for the first user when the first user is present at or arrives at the first place, and execute, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, the first processing based on the first authentication and the second authentication (wearable device 102a is associated with a parent and wearable device 102a is associated with a child in the same household, a level of access available to the target device 106 based upon the identity of each user, the distance of each wearable device 102a-102b from the reader, and the orientation of each wearable device 102a-102b in relation to the target device 106, the user profile may contain permissions associated with (i) whether the user is allowed to turn on the set-top box/television, (ii) whether the user is allowed to operate other functionality of the set-top box/television (i.e., changing channels, ordering on-demand content, accessing smart television features such as apps, games, and the like), and/or (iii) what channels the user is allowed to access, 0025-0028)
(confidential information that only certain employees can view, detect that the wearable devices 102a-102b for a plurality of employees are within a predetermined distance: If only one of the employees associated with the detected wearable devices 102a-102b is allowed to view information contained on the computer, the reader 104 can issue a command to the computer to disable or black out the screen (or close any open documents) while the wearable device 102b of the unauthorized employee is within a certain distance from the reader 104 Or, perhaps the unauthorized employee is allowed to view the screen but is not allowed to print any documents 0031)(an employee having a wearable device 102a may be escorting a contractor 102b (or other visitor), a required spatial relationship of each other, can revoke access, 0032) (the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees : the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices there may be a circumstance where one of the specific authorized employees is unable to be present when access to the safe is needed. The missing employee can preauthorize the wearable device of another employee to be within the group of employees/devices that, when detected by the system 100, enable access to the target device 106, 0033).
Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 3:
With respect to claim 3, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the execution code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:
execute second authentication for the first user when the first user is present at or arrives at the first place, and execute the first processing based on the second authentication, instead of the first authentication, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time (from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person (step S14)., 0081)(then it is determined that the same person as the person P20 located in an end area of the captured image of the own gate G1 is located in the center area of the captured image of the adjacent gate G2, the target determination unit 12 determines that the person P20 is a person moving toward the adjacent gate G2, 0082) (Figure 12, S14, S15) (The target determination unit 12 (collation means) determines whether or not the persons P10 and P20 extracted by the target extraction unit 11 are persons moving toward the own gate G1, when the person P20 is located in an end area (first area), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not the person P20 is moving toward the own gate G1, on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the face authentication system 20 corresponding to another gate G2. In this example, since the person P20 is shown in an end area on the right side in the captured image corresponding to the own gate G1 illustrated in FIG. 4A, a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the gate G2, adjacent on the right side to the gate G1, is acquired. Specifically, the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056, Figure 12, S13).
Sheng et al. teaches to conduct computerized, proximity-based authorization and access control workflows that are tailored to a user's specific needs and can account for workflows where the presence of multiple users must be considered in order to resolve the authentication and access control successfully (0006) (Figure 1), the system 100 provides secure, and automatic access control to a target device 106 based upon the identity of a plurality of users with wearable devices 102a-102b (0029), execute second authentication for the first user when the first user is present at or arrives at the first place, and execute the first processing based on the second authentication, instead of the first authentication, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time (wearable device 102a is associated with a parent and wearable device 102a is associated with a child in the same household, a level of access available to the target device 106 based upon the identity of each user, the distance of each wearable device 102a-102b from the reader, and the orientation of each wearable device 102a-102b in relation to the target device 106, the user profile may contain permissions associated with (i) whether the user is allowed to turn on the set-top box/television, (ii) whether the user is allowed to operate other functionality of the set-top box/television (i.e., changing channels, ordering on-demand content, accessing smart television features such as apps, games, and the like), and/or (iii) what channels the user is allowed to access, 0025-0028) (confidential information that only certain employees can view, detect that the wearable devices 102a-102b for a plurality of employees are within a predetermined distance: If only one of the employees associated with the detected wearable devices 102a-102b is allowed to view information contained on the computer, the reader 104 can issue a command to the computer to disable or black out the screen (or close any open documents) while the wearable device 102b of the unauthorized employee is within a certain distance from the reader 104 Or, perhaps the unauthorized employee is allowed to view the screen but is not allowed to print any documents 0031) (an employee having a wearable device 102a may be escorting a contractor 102b (or other visitor), a required spatial relationship of each other, can revoke access, 0032) (the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees : the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices there may be a circumstance where one of the specific authorized employees is unable to be present when access to the safe is needed. The missing employee can preauthorize the wearable device of another employee to be within the group of employees/devices that, when detected by the system 100, enable access to the target device 106, 0033).
Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 4:
With respect to claim 4, Kochi et al. discloses
wherein the determination code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to determine, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, whether the second user has been present at the first place, or whether the second user has arrived at the first place prior to the presence or arrival of the first user at the first place, and
wherein the execution code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute the first processing based on the first authentication, instead of the second authentication, when it is determined that the second user has been present at or has arrived at the first place prior to the presence or arrival of the first user at the first place (from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person (step S14)., 0081)(then it is determined that the same person as the person P20 located in an end area of the captured image of the own gate G1 is located in the center area of the captured image of the adjacent gate G2, the target determination unit 12 determines that the person P20 is a person moving toward the adjacent gate G2, 0082) (Figure 12, S14, S15) (The target determination unit 12 (collation means) determines whether or not the persons P10 and P20 extracted by the target extraction unit 11 are persons moving toward the own gate G1, when the person P20 is located in an end area (first area), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not the person P20 is moving toward the own gate G1, on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the face authentication system 20 corresponding to another gate G2. In this example, since the person P20 is shown in an end area on the right side in the captured image corresponding to the own gate G1 illustrated in FIG. 4A, a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the gate G2, adjacent on the right side to the gate G1, is acquired. Specifically, the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056, Figure 12, S13).
Sheng et al. teaches to conduct computerized, proximity-based authorization and access control workflows that are tailored to a user's specific needs and can account for workflows where the presence of multiple users must be considered in order to resolve the authentication and access control successfully (0006) (Figure 1), the system 100 provides secure, and automatic access control to a target device 106 based upon the identity of a plurality of users with wearable devices 102a-102b (0029), determine, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, whether the second user has been present at the first place, or whether the second user has arrived at the first place prior to the presence or arrival of the first user at the first place, and execute the first processing based on the first authentication, instead of the second authentication, when it is determined that the second user has been present at or has arrived at the first place prior to the presence or arrival of the first user at the first place (wearable device 102a is associated with a parent and wearable device 102a is associated with a child in the same household, a level of access available to the target device 106 based upon the identity of each user, the distance of each wearable device 102a-102b from the reader, and the orientation of each wearable device 102a-102b in relation to the target device 106, the user profile may contain permissions associated with (i) whether the user is allowed to turn on the set-top box/television, (ii) whether the user is allowed to operate other functionality of the set-top box/television (i.e., changing channels, ordering on-demand content, accessing smart television features such as apps, games, and the like), and/or (iii) what channels the user is allowed to access, 0025-0028)
(confidential information that only certain employees can view, detect that the wearable devices 102a-102b for a plurality of employees are within a predetermined distance: If only one of the employees associated with the detected wearable devices 102a-102b is allowed to view information contained on the computer, the reader 104 can issue a command to the computer to disable or black out the screen (or close any open documents) while the wearable device 102b of the unauthorized employee is within a certain distance from the reader 104 Or, perhaps the unauthorized employee is allowed to view the screen but is not allowed to print any documents 0031) (an employee having a wearable device 102a may be escorting a contractor 102b (or other visitor), a required spatial relationship of each other, can revoke access, 0032) (the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees : the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices there may be a circumstance where one of the specific authorized employees is unable to be present when access to the safe is needed. The missing employee can preauthorize the wearable device of another employee to be within the group of employees/devices that, when detected by the system 100, enable access to the target device 106, 0033).
Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 5:
With respect to claim 5, the combination of Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1, as addressed.
Al-Shaikh et al. teaches the attendance server 104 stores or otherwise has access to an attendance record 116 that can be used to record attendance of persons 108 at various events. Each attendance event may include, as a record of a person 108 attending an event, an event identifier, a location, a time, a date, and a personal identifier, where an event “daily 8 am-5 pm shift at a first worksite” is to occur at the first worksite (e.g., at an employer facility) between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm daily, (0028),
wherein the first user is allowed to specify any date or date/time as the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time (defining a first attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a first of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; a second subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a second attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a second worksite and defining a second attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a second of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; and a third subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a third attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a classroom and defining a third attendance timeframe of 8 am-1 pm on Aug. 2, 2017 (e.g., corresponding to a training class John Doe is scheduled to attend) and a 4 hour check-in interval, 0043), and
wherein the program code further comprises restrictions code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to restrict, based on the schedule information, specification of a second scheduled date or a second scheduled date/time at which the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place as the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time (a mobile device 102 associated with a person 108 and located in an attendance region 110 associated with an event, may verify biometric or other personal information for the person 108 at a time associated with the event, and transmit corresponding attendance data 112, including a unique identifier of the mobile device 102, to the server 104 by way of the network 106. The server 104 may use the attendance data 112 and a device mapping 114 stored at the server 104 to confirm the attendance of the person 108 at the event, 0025).
Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 6:
With respect to claim 6, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the program code is further comprises permission code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to permit specification of the second scheduled date or the second scheduled date/time as the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time when the first user specifies another type of authentication different from the first authentication (defining a first attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a first of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; a second subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a second attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a second worksite and defining a second attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a second of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; and a third subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a third attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a classroom and defining a third attendance timeframe of 8 am-1 pm on Aug. 2, 2017 (e.g., corresponding to a training class John Doe is scheduled to attend) and a 4 hour check-in interval, 0043).
Claim 7:
With respect to claim 7, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the program code further comprises notification code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to transmit, when the first user specifies the another type of authentication, a notification that prompts the first user to avoid executing the first authentication at the first place to the first user (the collation unit 13 performs a collation process on the person determined to be a collation target in the captured image of the own gate G1 by the target determination unit 12 (step S4). In the example of FIGS. 3, 4A, and 4B, the collation unit 13 initiates the collation process only for the person P10, 0071).
Claim 8:
With respect to claim 8, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at a second scheduled date/time that is on the same day as the first scheduled date/time (from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person (step S14)., 0081)(then it is determined that the same person as the person P20 located in an end area of the captured image of the own gate G1 is located in the center area of the captured image of the adjacent gate G2, the target determination unit 12 determines that the person P20 is a person moving toward the adjacent gate G2, 0082) (Figure 12, S14, S15), and
wherein the program code further comprises notification code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to transmit, to the first user, a notification that prompts the first user to execute the first authentication at the first place at the first scheduled date/time, and to use another type of authentication when the first user is present at or arrives at the first place on the same day as the first scheduled date/time at another time different from the first scheduled date/time (the collation unit 13 performs a collation process on the person determined to be a collation target in the captured image of the own gate G1 by the target determination unit 12 (step S4). in the example of FIGS. 5, 6A, and 6B, the collation unit 13 initiates the collation process for the person P10 and the person P12. 0071)
Claim 9:
With respect to claim 9, Kochi et al. discloses wherein, at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, a plurality of users including the first user are scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place (The target determination unit 12 (collation means) determines whether or not the persons P10 and P20 extracted by the target extraction unit 11 are persons moving toward the own gate G1, when the person P20 is located in an end area (first area), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not the person P20 is moving toward the own gate G1, on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the face authentication system 20 corresponding to another gate G2. In this example, since the person P20 is shown in an end area on the right side in the captured image corresponding to the own gate G1 illustrated in FIG. 4A, a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the gate G2, adjacent on the right side to the gate G1, is acquired. Specifically, the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056, Figure 12, S13)).
Al-Shaikh et al. teaches the attendance server 104 stores or otherwise has access to an attendance record 116 that can be used to record attendance of persons 108 at various events. Each attendance event may include, as a record of a person 108 attending an event, an event identifier, a location, a time, a date, and a personal identifier, where an event “daily 8 am-5 pm shift at a first worksite” is to occur at the first worksite (e.g., at an employer facility) between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm daily, (0028),
wherein the execution code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:
extract authentication information of each of the plurality of users in advance from a database (the attendance server 104 stores or otherwise has access to an attendance record 116 that can be used to record attendance of persons 108 at various events, 0028), and
execute the first authentication for each of the plurality of users based on the authentication information of each of the plurality of users extracted from the database (a mobile device 102 associated with a person 108 and located in an attendance region 110 associated with an event, may verify biometric or other personal information for the person 108 at a time associated with the event, and transmit corresponding attendance data 112, including a unique identifier of the mobile device 102, to the server 104 by way of the network 106. The server 104 may use the attendance data 112 and a device mapping 114 stored at the server 104 to confirm the attendance of the person 108 at the event, 0025).
Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 10:
With respect to claim 10, the combination of Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1, as addressed.
Al-Shaikh et al. teaches the attendance server 104 stores or otherwise has access to an attendance record 116 that can be used to record attendance of persons 108 at various events. Each attendance event may include, as a record of a person 108 attending an event, an event identifier, a location, a time, a date, and a personal identifier, where an event “daily 8 am-5 pm shift at a first worksite” is to occur at the first worksite (e.g., at an employer facility) between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm daily, (0028),
wherein the program code further comprises perdition code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to predict, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, a predicted period in which the second user is not expected to be present at or arrive at the first place, based on at least one type of information out of second-time information about a second time at which the second user has been present at or has arrived at a second place and second-place information about the second place (defining a first attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a first of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; a second subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a second attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a second worksite and defining a second attendance timeframe of 8 am-5 pm daily (e.g., corresponding to a second of two facilities John Doe is scheduled to work at each day) and a 1 hour check-in interval; and a third subset of attendance data region data 132 defining a third attendance region 110 including a geographic area of a classroom and defining a third attendance timeframe of 8 am-1 pm on Aug. 2, 2017 (e.g., corresponding to a training class John Doe is scheduled to attend) and a 4 hour check-in interval, 0043),
wherein the execution code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to execute, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, the first processing based on the first authentication executed in the predicted period (a mobile device 102 associated with a person 108 and located in an attendance region 110 associated with an event, may verify biometric or other personal information for the person 108 at a time associated with the event, and transmit corresponding attendance data 112, including a unique identifier of the mobile device 102, to the server 104 by way of the network 106. The server 104 may use the attendance data 112 and a device mapping 114 stored at the server 104 to confirm the attendance of the person 108 at the event, 0025).
Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 11:
With respect to claim 11, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the program code further comprises obtaining code configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:
obtain a distance between the first place and the second place based on first-place information about the first place and the second-place information; and
wherein prediction code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to:
predict the predicted period based on the second-time information and on a travel time derived from the distance (that the captured image is set to be roughly focused in a range of a preset distance in the approaching direction with respect to the imaging device C1, that is, a distance from a line L1 to a line L2 illustrated in FIG. 3, for example., 0053) (as for the captured image of the own gate G1, an area defined by the lines C1a and C1b obtained by further expanding the area (hatched area), expanded in the up and down direction of the part where the person P20 is extracted, slightly in the horizontal direction is set as an overlapping area, as illustrated in FIG. 16A. Further, in the end area on the opposite side in the horizontal direction, an overlapping area defined by the lines C1a and C1b is set. On the other hand, as for the captured image of the adjacent gate G2, an area defined by lines C2b obtained by further expanding the area (hatched area), expanded in the up and down direction of the part where the person P20 is extracted, in the horizontal direction is set as an overlapping area, as illustrated in FIG. 16B., 0102).
Claim 12:
With respect to claim 12, the combination of Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. discloses the limitations of claim 1, as addressed.
Al-Shaikh et al. teaches wherein the second-place information is information about a position obtained with use of an application different from an application for receiving a reservation pertaining to the first place (if John Doe is an employee of ABC corporation, Jon Doe is scheduled to work daily at three different worksites of ABC corporation between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm daily, and John Doe's attendance is tracked at each of the three worksites, 0034).
Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al. and Al-Shaikh et al. is recited in claim 1.
Claim 13:
With respect to claim 13, Kochi et al. discloses wherein the first user and the second user are each allowed to check in at the first place,
wherein the first authentication is biometric authentication,
wherein the schedule information is information about scheduled check-in at the first place,
wherein the second user is a user who resembles the first user in terms of biometric information used in the biometric authentication, and
wherein the first processing is processing for checking in at the first place (the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056)
Claim 16:
With respect to claim 16, Sheng et al. teaches wherein the adaption code is further configured to cause at least one of the at least one processor to require, when it is determined that the second user is scheduled to be present at or arrive at the first place at the first scheduled date or the first scheduled date/time, the first user to perform a second authentication in addition to the first authentication, the second authentication being based on a passcode, a personal identification number, or a pattern (including but not limited to demographics (such as user's name, gender, date of birth, age, role/relationship to others (e.g., parent, child, employee)), authentication parameters (e.g., username, password) 0024) (the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees : the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices there may be a circumstance where one of the specific authorized employees is unable to be present when access to the safe is needed. The missing employee can preauthorize the wearable device of another employee to be within the group of employees/devices that, when detected by the system 100, enable access to the target device 106, 0033).
Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of user authentication systems.
The motivation for combining Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. is recited in claim 1.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on February 04, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In the remarks, Applicant argues that:
Claim 1:
1- Kochi stores biometric data of individual registered persons for the purpose of identity verification at security gates. Kochi does not disclose "store, in association with a user identifier of the first user, a user identifier of the second user" as recited in Claim 1.
There is no teaching in Kochi of creating or maintaining a stored association between the identifiers of two distinct users based on biometric similarity.
Al-Shaikh stores attendance records for individual users at worksites. Al-Shaikh does not disclose "store, in association with a user identifier of the first user, a user identifier of the second user" as recited in Claim 1. Al-Shaikh contains no teaching of associating one user's identifier with another user's identifier based on biometric similarity.
Sheng stores user profiles containing roles and permissions associated with wearable device identifiers. Sheng does not disclose "store, in association with a user identifier of the first user, a user identifier of the second user" as recited in Claim 1. There is no teaching in Sheng of storing a relationship between two users' identifiers based on biometric similarity.
In response to remark/arguments (1), Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Sheng et al. teaches “the user can establish a user profile at the server computing device 110 that contains various information that is relevant to the operation of the system 100, including but not limited to … role/relationship to others (e.g., parent, child, employee))” (0024), “the user profiles of the parent and/or child can be configured such that the reader 104 does not allow a channel to be changed when: (a) the child's wearable device 102b is within a predetermined distance from the reader 104 and the child's wearable device 102b is in front of the television, and (b) the parent's wearable device 102a is outside of a predetermined distance from the reader 104 (or is not within operable range of the reader 104, thereby not being detected) and/or when the parent's wearable device 102a is not in front of the television (meaning that the parent cannot see what the child is viewing)” (0027), “the system 100 can require a group of people each having a wearable device in order to grant access to a target device 106—e.g., a bank may require that three particular employees … the system 100 can be augmented with additional information about the users that are associated with the detected wearable devices. For example, the system 200 can be coupled to a camera that scans the faces of each of the employees and performs facial recognition to confirm that the people wearing the wearable devices are in fact the three specific employees that are authorized to open the safe and not impostors, or that one person is not holding or wearing all three devices” (0033). Therefore, Examiner maintains that combination of Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. does teach and suggest this limitation.
2 - Kochi determines whether two detections represent the same individual. Kochi does not disclose "identify a second user having similar biometric information to a first user based on comparing stored biometric information, wherein the second user is a person distinct from the first user" as recited in Claim 1.
In response to remark/arguments (2), Examiner respectfully disagrees. Kochi et al. discloses when the target extraction unit 11 extracts the person P20 from an end area of a captured image of the own gate G1 (step S11), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not a person same as the person P20 is located in the center area of a captured image of another gate G2 ... Then, from the feature amounts of the both persons, it is determined whether or not the both persons are the same person, 0080-0081). Therefore, Examiner maintains that combination of Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. does teach and suggest this limitation.
3 - Neither Kochi nor Al-Shaikh discloses "determine, based on schedule information about scheduled visits to the first place, whether the second user who has a possibility of being authenticated as the first user by the first authentication is scheduled to be present at the first place" as recited in Claim 1. Neither reference uses schedule information to determine whether a second user with similar biometrics-one who has a possibility of being authenticated as the first user-is scheduled to visit the same place.
In response to remark/arguments (3), Examiner respectfully disagrees. Kochi et al. discloses The target determination unit 12 (collation means) determines whether or not the persons P10 and P20 extracted by the target extraction unit 11 are persons moving toward the own gate G1, when the person P20 is located in an end area (first area), the target determination unit 12 determines whether or not the person P20 is moving toward the own gate G1, on the basis of a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the face authentication system 20 corresponding to another gate G2. In this example, since the person P20 is shown in an end area on the right side in the captured image corresponding to the own gate G1 illustrated in FIG. 4A, a captured image captured by the imaging device C2 of the gate G2, adjacent on the right side to the gate G1, is acquired. Specifically, the target determination unit 12 communicates with the face authentication system 20 of the adjacent gate G2 via the communication unit 16, and acquires a captured image captured at the gate G2 at a timing that is the same as the timing when the captured image is captured at the gate G1 (for example, the same time), 0056, Figure 12, S13)), a collation score such as similarity between the generated feature amount and the feature amount of the person having been registered in the collation data storage unit 17 (0063). Therefore, Examiner maintains that combination of Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. does teach and suggest this limitation.
4 - Sheng adapts access permissions based on real-time detected presence of users' wearable devices. Sheng does not disclose "adapt authentication requirements for the first user based on scheduled presence of the second user" as recited in Claim 1. Sheng adapts access permissions, not authentication requirements, and does so based on real-time detection, not scheduled presence.
In response to remark/arguments (4), Examiner respectfully disagrees. Sheng et al. discloses if access needs to be adjusted according to a specific scenario, timeframe, or set of circumstances, 0005). Therefore, Examiner maintains that combination of Kochi et al, Al-Shaikh et al., and Sheng et al. does teach and suggest this limitation.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Helai Salehi whose telephone number is 571-270-7468. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jeff Pwu, can be reached on 571-272-6798. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HELAI SALEHI/
Examiner, Art Unit 2433
/JEFFREY C PWU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2433
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